Nakabuye looks forward to tougher challenge in African netball championships
National netball team, She Cranes, player, Hadijah Nakabuye. PHOTO/ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
- Uganda last week won the Netball Pent Series unbeaten in Namibia and Nakabuye was among the reserve players that coach Fred Mugerwa did not field for the Pent Series.
Well known for her shooting accuracy, goal attacker Hadijah Nakabuye used to be a mainstay in the She Cranes squad before she rested due to personal issues.
She later returned to the She Cranes team in 2018 for the Commonwealth Games in Australia where Uganda finished sixth.
It is her ability to coordinate well with towering goal shooters despite her height disadvantage that had made her a house hold name for many netball enthusiasts.
At the 2017 African Netball Championships that was hosted and won by Uganda at Lugogo, Nakabuye had a good collaboration with professional shooter Peace Proscovia- all of which exposed a good goal attacker in her.
Now the eloquent shooter is ready for another African Championship that starts Wednesday in Namibia.
The She Cranes will play their opening fixture against neighbours Tanzania 10am.
Uganda last week won the Netball Pent Series unbeaten in Namibia and Nakabuye was among the reserve players that coach Fred Mugerwa did not field for the Pent Series.
Uganda will be facing more countries including South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana and Tanzania in the African tournament not forgetting Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Kenya that took part in the Pent Series.
Like others, Nakabuye believes that Uganda should be more wary of South Africa and Malawi who are better than the She Cranes in rankings, but she also says the She Cranes have improved over the years and are capable of putting up an excellent show against those opponents.
“I feel so happy to be back on the national team. Unlike before, ours now is a combination of both mature and young players. With this we shall be able to confuse our opponents and eventually win against them. Am so much looking forward to my time on court,” Nakabuye told Daily Monitor.
Uganda won back to back Africa Netball Championships in 2017 and 2018. However the 2019 edition was won by South Africa and the 2020 edition was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
